


Cat in the Cradle: An After Story

by Blinky25



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bottom!Cas, Cuteness overload, Fluff, M/M, Top!Cas, bottom!Dean, dad! Cas, dad! Dean, top!dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:42:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5302616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blinky25/pseuds/Blinky25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Cas are finally married and out of Crowley's hands. They decide to adopt a little girl named Emma and fluffy family stuff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Inspection

            “Did you clean up the bathroom?” Cas asked as he tidied up the couch pillows. Dean poked his head out from behind the kitchen wall and nodded.

            “Yeah; I made sure to scrub the toilet, wash the sink, and hang up fresh towels.” Dean smiled proudly. Cas nodded and gave him a quick smile before folding the blanket that rested on the arm of the couch for a third time.

            “Is the fridge fully stocked?” Cas asked.

            “Yep, I bought all that rabbit food you wanted and lots of bottle water.” Dean replied as he walked out from the kitchen and leaned against the wall. Cas walked over the blinds and opened them halfway, stared, and then opened them slightly more.

            “Did you make the bed and make sure all of the clothes were folded?” Cas asked as he repositioned the flower vase on the coffee table. He jumped slightly when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

            “Babe, you need to calm down.” Dean whispered before pressing a kiss to his temple. Cas took a deep breath and turned around in Dean’s arms to look at him.

            “Sorry…I’m just nervous.” Cas admitted. Dean smiled and rested his forehead on Cas’.

            “There’s nothing to be nervous about. The social worker is going to love you, this house, and she’ll sign the papers. Everything’s going to be okay.” Dean reassured him. Cas nodded and bit his lip anxiously.

He had been cleaning the apartment since yesterday morning and no matter what he did, it just didn’t look clean enough. The social worker was coming over today to make sure their apartment was kid-friendly and if everything was in order, she’d sign the release papers and him and Dean would finally be able to adopt. It’d been 5 months since they had decided to adopt, and the process ended up taking a lot longer than they’d expected. Apparently, being a same sex couple required extra paper work.

            “What if she asks about the bedroom situation?” Cas asked.

            “Well, we were planning on getting a two bedroom apartment soon, so we’ll just tell her that. Cas, babe, breathe.” Dean said as he pecked Cas’ lips once more. Cas wasn’t sure why Dean wasn’t nervous; or maybe he was and was just trying to keep calm for Cas. Cas smiled to himself at the thought and gripped the back of Dean’s head, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. Both men jumped when the doorbell went off and Cas straightened out his shirt out of nervousness.

            “Hey, you must be Donna.” Dean smiled as he opened the door to a short woman with blonde hair and a giant smile.

            “You’re darn tootin’. Dean, right?” She asked as she extended her hand. Dean shook it briefly and smiled back.

            “The one and only. This is my partner, Cas.” Dean said as he gestured towards him. Cas cleared his throat and shook her hand limply.

            “Hello. Please, come in.” He smiled, letting her in before shutting the door behind her.

            “This is a cute apartment you boys got. Aww, who’s this little fella?” Donna asked as she crouched by Wings who was sitting in the middle of the kitchen.

            “That’s my cat, Wings. He was a rescue. We also have a guinea pig down the hall if you’d like to meet her.” Cas added as he, Donna and Dean all sat at the table.

            “I’ll be sure to say hi as I’m doing my inspection. So, I just need to ask you boys a few questions and then I can look around. You ready?” Donna asked as she pulled out a pen and a few forms from her purse. Cas nodded as he felt Dean grasps his hand and run his thumb over it soothingly. “First things first; you two are married correct?”

            “Yeah; we were married in June this year.” Dean smiled. Cas smiled as well at the memory of that happy day.

            “And you are both employed?” Donna asked as she continued writing on her forms.

            “Yes. I own a pet store and Dean is a mechanic.” Cas answered. Donna nodded and looked over her forms briefly.

            “Do you plan to move within the next 6 months?”

            "Yes. We’ve been looking at two bedroom apartments near Brooke Elementary. Hopefully we’ll be able to move by this spring.” Cas stated.

            “Any past drug or alcohol abuse?”

             Dean and Cas both froze at the question; Cas could feel Dean squeeze his hand harder. He could just lie and tell her that they were model citizens and had never done anything bad but, that would be wrong. And who knows what kind of trouble they could get into for lying.

            “Actually uh, yeah. Cas was an alcoholic, but he’s been clean for about 8 months. I’m uh, I’m an ex junkie but I haven’t touched that stuff in a while. We both have sworn off all of that bad crap, honestly.” Dean stated. Cas mentally thanked him for speaking up and glanced at Donna who was looking between the two of them.

            “Well, I’m going to have to put that into consideration but, you two boys look like a very nice couple. Between you and me, I used to be an alcoholic too.” Donna sighed as she put her pen down. “My husband left me because he thought I liked cookie dough ice cream more than him…” Donna frowned. “It wasn’t the happiest moment in my life, that’s for sure.” Cas took his other hand and gently placed it over Donna’s.

             “Well that guys an ass. You deserve way better than that scum.” Dean grunted as he shook his head. Cas gave her hand a warm squeeze and she smiled lightly.

             “Oh you two are going to make me cry.” Donna cleared her throat and grabbed her pen again. “Although you two have had your dark past, I don’t think it will affect the adoption process at all. Any kid would be lucky to have parents like you.” Donna smiled. Cas sat back in his chair and smiled at the kind words.

             “Thank you, really. It means a lot to hear you say that.” Cas said. He had been dreading the social worker visit for months now, afraid he/she was going to immediately judge them and not sign the papers. Dean and him had really lucked out with a woman like Donna. She was quirky, sure, but her heart was filled with love and acceptance.

             “Anyhoo, lets finish up these questions.” Donna added as she clicked her pen.

 

              An hour and a half later, Dean and Cas were sitting at the kitchen table again, staring at the paperwork with a smile.

              “We did it.” Cas sighed. Dean squeezed his hand and picked up one of the forms.

              “We’re going to be parents…” Dean said unbelievably.

              “Whenever we want. We could go tomorrow, even.” Dean smiled.

              “I’d like that.” Cas whispered as he felt his eyes water. Dean looked over at him and wiped his thumb across Cas’ cheekbone, riding his cheek of tears.

              “Yeah, me too.” Dean sighed as he leaned in towards Cas. Cas pressed his lips to Dean’s, laughing lightly when Dean bit gently on his lower lip. Their tongues slid together softly, months of practice making both men know exactly where each other’s sweet spots were. Cas and Dean pulled apart slowly, smiles plastered on their faces. Cas could tell that Dean was nervous, but then again, so was he. They’d never been parents before. Sure, he had taken care of Wings but, cats were far more simplistic than children. Dean had some experience with Sam luckily, but even he wasn’t exactly sure what to do. After crawling in bed together, Dean’s back pressed against Cas’ stomach, they’d agreed that they would learn together, as a family.


	2. Emma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas are finally able to adopt! Although they had trouble with the other foster kids, one little girl in particular stands out and captures their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as an FYI, I don't entirely know the adoption process so if I made a mistake and you want me to correct it, let me know :)

           “Well if you guys are ready you can go talk to some of the children. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” The owner of the house smiled warmly. Dean and Cas nodded in unison and Dean took a deep breath.

           “You ready man?” Dean whispered into Cas’ ear. Cas nodded lamely and looped his fingers into Dean’s.

           “I think so…are you ready?” Cas asked, looking up at Dean. Dean nodded and took one more deep breath. He was nervous as hell, but he couldn’t show that to Cas. Cas was already freaking out enough without his help, so he decided to act calm.

           Cas pushed the door open and they were greeted by 5 or 6 children running around the room, their little feet sounding like elephants as they chased one another. It was a fairly large room, slightly bigger than Cas and Dean’s apartment, honestly. There were bunkbeds lined up against the wall and a large, blue carpet lying in the center of the hard, wooden floor.

           One of the smaller boys had an airplane and he was making noises as he pretended to fly it through the sky. An older girl argued with one of the other boys loudly about something involving her dolls. Dean, needless to say, was a bit taken aback. He wasn’t expecting a bunch of rambunctious kids screaming at the top of their lungs. For some reason, he’d pictured small kids, reading in a circle, the only sound being heard was laughter. Man, had he been wrong.

           “I guess uh…I guess we mingle now?” Dean shrugged as Cas looked over at him with a worrisome facial expression. Cas nodded and looked back at the room.

           “Hey, who are you?” A boy around the age of roughly 8 or 9 asked from below them. Dean squatted down so he could be at eye level with him and smiled welcomingly.

           “I’m Dean. This is Cas. We uh, we came to see you guys.” He said with as nice a voice as possible. The redheaded kid with glasses raised a brow and shrugged before running back towards one of the other kids. “Well that went well.” Dean sighed as he stood back up and leaned towards Cas.

           “Tommy told me you two were here to see us. Is that true?” A tall girl with brown hair in pigtails asked with her arms crossed. She couldn’t have been older than 7 maybe, but she talked like she was a teenager.

           “Hello. I’m Cas and this is Dean. What’s your name?” Cas asked. The girl purpsed her lips and squinted at them.

           “Are you guys a couple?” She asked. Cas straightened his back and nodded.

           “Yes. Dean is my husband.” He smiled as he looped his arm around Dean’s waist. Dean resisted the urge to punch the little shit when she gasped and made fake vomit noises.

           “Gross! Hey Lana come over here!” The little girl called to her friend. Cas stared at the girl incredulously until Lana skipped towards them.

           “What Amy?” She asked. She was probably 5, maybe 6 with dark, curly black hair.

           “These two boys are married.” She pointed towards Dean and Cas and her and Alan said “grooooooss” in unison.

           “Hey, that’s not very nice.” Dean said as he tried to cool his temper. He had to remind himself that these were just kids but, it still hurt.

           “We’ll _you’re_ not very nice.” Amy replied as she crossed her arms.

           “Yeah well you’re a brat.” Dean bit back. Amy gasped and Alana stepped in front of her.

           “You stink!” She yelled as she pointed a small finger at Dean.

           “Dean, stop.” Cas whispered as Dean moved forward to yell back at her.

           “And you do too!” She yelled at Cas. Cas raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief.

           “Girls! Knock it off, now.” Wendy, the foster parent yelled as she appeared from the doorway. She turned towards Dean and Cas and sighed heavily. “I am so sorry for that. I don’t know what’s gotten into those girls…I think they’re just upset, you know, with Christmas right around the corner. A lot of the kids I foster don’t get to spend Christmas with a family…I mean, my husband and I try our hardest to make it cheery for them but, it just isn’t the real thing.”

           “Don’t worry about it; I’m sure it’s just their way of coping.” Cas reassured her. Dean sighed and apologized for antagonizing them.

           “Well, has anyone caught your interest? I know they seem like a handful but, they’re all great kids.” Wendy assured them.

           “I think we’ll go talk to them some more, but thank you.” Cas replied. Wendy nodded and went back out the door, her heels clicking as she walked down the hall. Cas and Dean both turned towards the room and sighed deeply together.

           “Hey…what about her?” Dean asked as he pointed towards a small child in the corner. He had noticed her before but, with all the chaos and commotion, it was hard to point her out to Cas. Cas looked over where he was pointing and shrugged.

           “It couldn’t hurt. She seems lonely…” Cas said somewhat sadly. Dean lead Cas towards her and they both sat down in the small chairs across form her. She was finger painting a picture of, what Dean assumed was, an angel. Dean cleared his throat and it must have caught her attention as she looked up and stared at them.

            She was young, probably 3 or 4 and had blonde, curly hair that was put up into a ponytail. Her blue eyes practically radiated from her small, round face.

            “Hi. That’s a pretty picture you’re drawing…mind if I borrow some of these?” Dean asked her. She shook her head silently and looked back down at her paper to continue painting. Dean glanced at Cas as he squirted a glob of red paint on his paper and began dragging it towards the middle

            “Dean, what is that supposed to be?” Cas asked as he looked over his shoulder.

            “Isn’t it obvious? It’s Baby! I mean, I know I’m no Van Gough but come on. This is a work of art.” Dean smiled as he held up the horrible finger painting to Cas. Cas rolled his eyes with a smile and took the paper from him.

            “Well, it’s not atrocious I suppose…” Cas teased. Dean faked a gasp before dapping his finger in the paint and pressing his finger to the tip of Cas’ nose. Cas crossed his eyes to look at what Dean had done and he laughed.

            “Hey, check it out. Rudolf came early this year.” Dean joked. Dean and Cas both looked over at the girl when they heard a small giggle. The girl, although not looking at them, was smiling as she continued her painting. _Huh…so she’s just shy._

            “That angel really is nice. You know, my name means the angel of Thursday.” Cas told her. She glanced up at him and smiled briefly before grabbing the blue paint.

            “What’s your name sweetie?” Dean asked. She looked up at him and pointed to her name tag that was stuck on her shirt. It was written in green crayon, the letters big and wobbly looking. _Emma._ “You have a pretty name, Emma.” Dean added. She smiled wider and laughed lightly, her eyes not leaving Dean and Cas’. Dean smiled at how they were finally able to catch her attention.

            They continued finger painting with Emma for a few hours, asking her yes or no questions because they knew she wouldn't respond otherwise. They had learned that her favorite food was PB&J's with the crusts cut off, her favorite color was blue, and she liked Dr. Seuss books. They also learned that she was surprisingly talented for a 3 1/2 year old. Her finger painting was almost as good, if not better, than Cas and Dean's. Over the span of their visit, she had busted out two pictures of cats, a detailed, blue flower, a picture of Dean and Cas sitting together, and a portrait of her stuffed bear.  

            “You like animals?” Dean asked, curiosity getting the better of him. Emma’s eyes seemed to brighten at the mention of animals and he knew he was on to something. “Well you know, Cas and I have a cat and a guinea pig. You ever seen a guinea pig?” He asked. Emma shook her head no, her interest still peeked.

            “I have a picture if you would like to see.” Cas added in, obviously starting to get where Dean was going with this. Emma nodded and got off of her chair to peek over Cas’ shoulder at his phone. He opened up the picture that he had of Anna and held it out for her to look. Emma gasped in wonderment and giggled.

            “She’s cute huh? Almost as cute as you.” Dean smiled as he poked her nose. She smiled widely at him, her face seeming to light up at the compliment. Dean looked over at Cas who was smiling at both of them, obviously deep in thought. Dean locked eyes with him and they stared for a few minutes, trying to read each other. When Cas nodded once, Dean looked back over at Emma who was now holding onto her stuffed bear.

            “Emma, how would you like to come home with us?” Dean asked as he got out of his chair and crouched down to her level. Her eyes seemed to glow at his question, and Dean had to refrain from just pulling the small, fragile girl into a hug.

            He wasn’t sure if Emma knew exactly what he meant but, when her eyes widened and filled with tears, he knew that she did. He could tell she was trying not to cry as she nodded her head frantically. Dean wiped a tear that had fallen with his thumb and brushed his hand through her hair.

            “Welcome to our family, Emma.” Cas said sweetly as he squatted beside Dean and hugged her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A decided to do a double update because of Thanksgiving and I'm grateful for everyone that read the original story and stuck with me <3 You are all amazing and I hope you guys had a wonderful Thanksgiving
> 
> Tumblr account------> canidlycas.tumblr.com


	3. Shopping Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean takes Emma shopping.

            “She hasn’t spoken once since she arrived. I’ve tried everything but the poor thing just won’t talk.” Wendy sighed as she began filling out the paperwork with Dean and Cas. Cas peaked out from the room they were in and saw Emma sitting on a chair with her stuffed bear gripped firmly in her arms.

            “Well, it doesn’t bother us. I’m sure she’ll talk when she’s ready. Do you mind if I ask about her background?” Cas asked as he signed another one of the forms.

            “Her mother lost custody of her when she was about a year old. Apparently she couldn’t afford her rent or food and just couldn’t take of her anymore. So, Emma’s been in the system for most of her life, sadly. She’ll be 4 on the 24th.” Wendy replied sadly as she handed another piece of paper towards them.

            “Christmas Eve? Man…poor kids had it tough. How long has she been with you?” Dean asked. Wendy shook her head and stacked the papers together nicely.

            “She’s been in 5 other foster homes before this one. Most of the owners mistook her silence for rebellion. I majored in child psychology so I knew that she wasn’t doing it as an act of defiance. I believe it’s just her way of feeling safe. If she doesn’t make a connection with someone, she can’t be hurt.”

            “Well, she’s in good hands now, Wendy. I promise you that. We’ll never abandon her.” Dean reassured her as they all stood up.

            “I know. You two will basically have a trial period just to make sure that Emma is comfortable and willing to stay with you guys. There will also be a random monthly inspection for a few months, just as an fyi. We just need to make sure that she’s in good hands.” Dean and Cas both nodded knowingly and made their way out towards Emma, the file now in Dean’s hands.

            “You ready munchkin?” Dean asked. Emma nodded and put on her small princess backpack, her teddy bear still gripped firmly in her hands.

 

                                          --------------------------------------------------- 

            “Welcome home, Emma. Do you want me to take your backpack?” Cas asked as he shut the front door. Emma nodded and slid her bag off her shoulders before wandering into the living room.

            “I can’t believe we have a kid…” Dean whispered to Cas.

            “I know…it doesn’t even seem real.” Cas admitted as he hung up Emma’s backpack on the small hook they had put in a few days ago. Dean pulled him in for a quick kiss, his hands lingering a bit on his butt. “Not around Emma.” Cas whispered as he pecked Dean’s neck. Dean nodded and took his hands away with a smile.

            Cas and Dean walked into the living room together and found Emma with Wings laying in her lap. Wings had his eyes closed and was purring as she stroked his black fur softly. Emma looked over at them and put her finger over her mouth in a “shushing” motion.

            “Oh, sorry.” Dean whispered as he made his way to the couch to sit beside her. He tiptoed dramatically making Emma giggle. Cas watched in amusement before sitting on the other side of Emma and petting Wings briefly.

            “Would you like to see your room?” Cas whispered quietly. Emma tapped her feet together and nodded. Cas picked Wings up and set him down in his bed by the fireplace. He held his hand out for Emma to hold on to, which she did after a few moments of hesitation. Dean turned towards the kitchen as Cas and Emma made their way down the hall and into the master bedroom.

            Although they didn’t have another room, Cas’ bedroom was fairly big by itself. They had been able to put a small bed with a wooden frame beside the closet, adorned with a blue floral comforter. They hadn’t been sure whether they would have a girl or a boy so they settled on something gender neutral just for precaution.

            They had also been able to buy a toy box that Dean’s friend Benny had from his kids who no longer used it. They hadn’t bought many toys, wanting the child to pick out their own whenever they got around to shopping. Dean had to buy a stuffed moose to make fun of Sam and Cas couldn’t resist the large, plush bee he had found at Walmart. They also picked up some books to put in there, ranging from ages 2-9.

            “You like it?” Cas asked as he looked down at Emma. She had her thumb in her mouth and was staring at the bed with awe. “You can go check out your toys if you want. There’s not much but, we’re going to take you shopping tomorrow to pick out some more. Does that sound good?” He asked. Emma nodded before letting his hand go and dragging her teddy bear across the floor as she made her way towards the toy box.

            Cas leaned on the doorframe and watched with a smile as she giggle at the plush bee he had bought. She gave it a hug before lying down on her bed beside her teddy bear. She added the moose shortly after and then picked up one of the books. She sat on the bed and opened it up; Cas recognized it as Harold and the Purple Crayon.

            He decided to give Emma her space and walked back towards the kitchen. Dean was humming to himself as he spread peanut butter on a piece of bread, lying it on top of the jelly covered one.

            “Peanut butter and jelly, huh?” Cas asked from the doorway. Dean looked back and shrugged, picking up one of the sandwiches and handing it to Cas.

            “Thought she might be hungry.” Dean blushed. Cas smiled and thanked him for the sandwich.

            “She liked the bee and moose we bought her.” He said as he took a bite. Dean put away the peanut butter and nodded with a grin.

            “Knew she would. Oh man, speaking of moose, I should call Sam huh?” Dean asked as he wiped his hands off on his jeans.

            “You can always call him tomorrow, you know.” Cas suggested as he took another bite.

            “Yeah but, this is big news Cas. He’ll be pissed if I wait until tomorrow to tell him.” Cas agreed and finished up his sandwich as Dean talked to Sam on the phone. It was a rather brief conversation but, Cas could tell that Sam was happy for them just by the way Dean smiled. They had already told Sam they were thinking of adopting but, Dean had been worried for some reason. Cas decided not to question it and just told him there was nothing to be worried about.

            Dean had just finished up his conversation with Sam when Emma padded into the kitchen, her bear in tow.

            “Hey, you hungry?” Dean asked as he picked up the sandwich he had made her. Cas noticed that he had cut the crusts off and he had to refrain from making any mushy comments. Emma nodded and sat down on one of the dining chairs; they were bigger than she was, so she could hardly reach the table top. _We’ll have to get a booster seat tomorrow as well…_ Cas made a mental note to himself.

                                                    ------------------------------------------

            Cas went to work the following morning after eating breakfast with Dean and Emma. Dean was slightly worried about taking care of Emma on his own. He’d had experience with Sam, of course, but Sammy was his brother. They had grown up together and there wasn’t any mystery between the two. Emma however, was an enigma wrapped in an enigma. Sure they had been able to figure out minor details about her interest but, what if she’s hungry? Or sad? Or in pain? How will Dean know what she needs when she needs it?

            He began cleaning up the pancake mess, surprised at how clean Emma’s spot was. Normally kids went ape shit with the syrup and got it everywhere but, not Emma. She was definitely different but, Dean kind of liked that about her.

            “You ready to go shopping?” Dean asked as he placed all the dishes in the sink. Emma nodded; her bed-headed curls bouncing ever so slightly. Dean smiled when she yawned and rubbed her eyes, clearly still sleepy. _Damn she’s fucking adorable…_

 

            After getting her dressed in the change of clothes she had brought in her backpack and brushing the tangles out of her hair, they had walked down to the store together. Dean held open the door and waited for Emma to step inside. She didn’t.

            “You okay sweetie?” Dean asked as he crouched down in front of her. Emma shrugged but could tell that she was afraid of something. He stood back up and picked her up easily. She didn’t seem to mind because she immediately gripped onto his Jimmy Hendrix t-shirt and the fear seemed to subside. _This is probably her first time at a store…I guess that can be kind of overwhelming with all the people. Plus the store’s fucking huge._

            He made his way towards the “kids” section, Emma held tightly to his chest. He glanced over at her a few times and could see the wonderment in her eyes as they passed by the other aisles. If she ever wanted to be put down, Dean would stay a few more hours just so she could walk around and take in her surroundings.

            “Alright, see anything you like?” Dean asked. Emma surveyed the toys that were displayed on the wall and put her thumb in her mouth. “Can I put you down so I can help you find something?” He asked. Emma shook her head and gripped onto his shirt tighter. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Emma. You’re safe with me; I promise.” Dean added. Emma seemed to think momentarily before nodding her head unsurely. Dean lowered her to the ground slowly and held her hand as soon as her feet hit the tiles.

            She looked around the store nervously and moved closer to Dean. He looked up and saw a princess wand sitting on the shelf and he got an idea. Picking up the wand and turning back towards Emma, he held it up to her and cleared his throat.

            “None shall come to hurt or maim, None shall pass no none at all, Protect this child I ask of thee, Protect her now till she can see; As I Ask, So Mote It Be!" He shouted dramatically, lowering his voice to make it seem more official. He had memorized some old spells from a book that his father had and he used to use them on Sammy to make him feel better. He was surprised that he had remembered, after all these years. “There, now you are protected. Nothing can hurt you.” Dean smiled.

            Emma giggled and nodded before turning towards the shelf and picking up a stuffed animal. Dean wandered around the aisle as well, hoping to find something he thought she’d like. He grabbed a doll and held it out to her questioningly and she shook her head. After a few minutes or so, Emma had only found one thing she liked. Dean had tucked it under his arm and  grabbed her hand as they made their way towards another aisle. They were originally headed towards the clothes section but, something stopped Dean. He walked backwards a little bit and smiled.

            “Hey Emma, let’s go down this aisle.” He said as he let her walk in front of him. Emma stared at the aisle with her mouth open in awe. “Well, go on Em. Have a look around.” He gently nudged her back and she began walking very slowly, her eyes practically glowing. She immediately went towards the wall with all of the crayons and picked up a box. _I knew she’d love this section_ , Dean thought as he followed closely behind her. He spotted some baskets near the end of the aisle so he grabbed one of those and gave one to Emma. “Go ahead and pick out some stuff.”

            After what had to of been half an hour, Emma had her basket filled with various art supplies. Luckily the art stuff here was cheap; otherwise this would be a lot more painful for Dean’s wallet. They browsed the clothing section and picked out some clothes for Emma. Dean had found an Aerosmith shirt in her size and almost cried out of pride when she smiled and threw it into the basket. _That’s my girl…_

            Finally they had bought everything they would need, including bath stuff for her as well. Dean had winced at the overall price tag but, he knew that it was worth it. Emma deserved this stuff; money be damned. When they got home, they unloaded the bags onto the kitchen table and Dean offered to put on a movie. They had forgotten to pick up kid movies but, Cas had some that were PG. Emma ended up choosing The Santa Clause and Dean had popped them some popcorn. As they settled down next to each other, Dean couldn’t help but smile.

Never in a million years would he have seen himself like this; sharing popcorn with his d _aughter_ as they watched movies together. He glanced over at Emma who had fallen asleep, her hand gripped tightly on his shirt. She had gone through so much at such a young age…kind of like Dean. He remembers being young and alone, having to take care of Sammy and never having time to be a kid. His childhood wasn’t the worst but, he often wondered where he would be now if it had been better. Maybe he never would have gotten into drugs…maybe he never would have met Crowley.

He smiled when Emma snored lightly and he rested his head on top of hers. In a weird way, he was glad things had happened the way they had. If he had never had a bad childhood, he never would have gotten into drugs. And if he had never gotten into drugs, he never would have met Crowley. And if he had never met Crowley, he never would have met the love of his life; Cas. And they’d never have gotten married or adopted; they wouldn’t have Emma…he’d never thought of it that way before. But sitting here with Emma, her tiny hands curled into his shirt, he couldn’t help but be thankful for the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did a bit of an early update because I'll be in San Francisco tomorrow. I wanted you guys to have the next chapter so, ta-dah! Once the semester for my college ends on the 17th, I'll be able to post more frequently (maybe 2-3 times a week). Hope everyone is enjoying things so far! Feel free to let me know what you think and/or if I made any mistakes that need fixing. Happy Holidays! ໒( • ͜ʖ • )७


	4. The Bee's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas have finally reached their breaking point. When Emma has a nightmare, they all go out for ice cream at the "Ice Shack". While there, Dean meets an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS:  
> -nsfw smut (in the beginning)

“Dean, we can’t do this right now… Emma is in the other room.” Cas pleaded as Dean peppered his neck with kisses and ground against him. Cas closed his eyes and moaned at the friction, then put his hands on Dean’s chest to push him off weakly. “What if she hears us? The poor thing has already gone through enough; she doesn’t need to hear us fornicating!” Cas whispered somewhat loudly. Dean was inches from his mouth, eyes hungry as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

            “We haven’t had sex for a week, Cas. I’m dying here…” Dean practically whimpered as he gently bit onto Cas’ lip and tugged. “Plus we’re in the bathroom and the door’s locked. Emma’s taking a nap so, I’d say we have a solid hour before she wakes up again. Come on babe…” Dean slid his tongue over Cas’ lips, pleading for entrance.

            Cas let him in and slid his tongue against Dean’s making the man grin and grip tightly to his ass. _I just can’t say no to him…_ Cas thought as Dean hoisted him onto the sink ledge and kissed the life out of him.

            “If we do this…you have to promise to be quiet.” Cas whispered when Dean finally gave him a chance to catch his breath. Dean’s eyes lit up and nodded frantically before shrugging his shirt off and then working on the buttons on Cas’. Cas helped him out to speed things along and 5 minutes later they were both naked and grasping at each other like animals.

            Dean dropped to his knees and swallowed Cas in one motion, making him grip the towel hanging up beside him and bite his lip. He wanted so badly to let out the sounds he was trying to hold back but he knew Emma was asleep and he didn’t want to wake her up. Dean hallowed out his cheeks and swirled his tongue around Cas’ throbbing head.

           

            “D-dean…stop stop, I’m going to cum.” Cas pleaded trying to make sure that this lasted. He had been just as pent up as Dean was, never being able to do anything but kiss. It was a lot harder than they had originally thought. Dean stood up and mouthed at Cas’ neck, his breath hot and making Cas shiver.

            “Fuck me…oh god, fuck me Cas…” Dean pleaded hotly in Cas’ ear as the man began grinding against him. Cas was surprised that he didn’t cum right then and there after hearing Dean, especially with the added friction between the two men’s erections. He immediately jumped off and spun Dean around so his stomach was resting on the cool tile of the sink counter.

            “Do you have any lubricant?” Cas asked as he gave Dean’s hips a squeeze.

            “No but I don’t care. Just please, Cas…” Dean whined as he grabbed both of his cheeks and spread them, giving Cas a sight he’d never forget. Cas started working him open, although it was a bit harder without anything to ease the friction. Dean didn’t seem to mind however, as he moaned quietly and bit his lips to stop from screaming.

            Once he felt the man was sufficiently prepared, Cas lined up and dove deep inside Dean, making him mewl and grip tightly to the counter. Cas had to do everything he could not to make much noise because Dean felt _so good_. He thrusted relentlessly, every other thrust or so colliding with Dean’s prostate. Cas almost felt bad at how hard Dean was trying to keep quiet, his lips red and almost bleeding from how hard he was biting them.

            Cas turned Dean’s head and kissed him, running his tongue soothingly over the man’s sore lips. Dean moaned into Cas’ mouth when Cas hit that special spot, and Cas knew Dean was close. Cas continued thrusting and kissing Dean as he reached down and tugged at his throbbing erection, his own orgasm rapidly approaching.

            “So good for me, Dean… so good…” Cas moaned as he shut his eyes and felt the familiar heat build up inside his abdomen. Cas rammed inside of Dean straight into his prostate, making the man silently scream as he came into Cas’ hand. It only took Cas a few more thrusts before he came inside Dean, gripping his hips firmly.

            They stayed like that for a few minutes, both of them trying to catch their breath. Cas had just pulled out and began wiping both of them down when he heard wailing coming from their bedroom. _Emma…_

            “Stay here and get cleaned up, I’ll go check on her.” Cas said as he slipped on his pants in rapid time and flew out the bathroom door. He entered the bedroom and found Emma sitting up in her bed, gripping her bear tightly with her eyes closed as the tears fell down from her face. “Hey, hey…what’s wrong Em?” Cas asked in a soft tone as he crouched down beside her bed. She looked over at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

            Cas rubbed her back reassuringly and sat on her bed so he could hold her. He glanced up when he heard Dean from the doorway and found him now clean and with a worried expression on his face.

            “What’s wrong? Is she okay?” Dean asked as he sat beside Cas and laid his hand on her head.

            “I don’t know…maybe she had a nightmare. She finally stopped crying though…” Cas sighed as he felt Emma’s grip slightly lessen.

            “Em, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” Dean asked as he ran his fingers through her hair to push it off her face. Emma looked up from Cas’ chest and nodded before her eyes began to fill with tears again. “Hey, hey it’s okay. You’re okay. Cas and I are here, and you’re safe…okay?” Dean reassured her with a smile, making her nod lightly and begin to wipe her tears with a shaky hand.

            “Do you want to go watch a movie? Would that make you feel better?” Cas asked. Emma sniffled and shook her head lightly.

            “What about…the park? Do you wanna go play in the park?” Dean asked. Emma again shook her head no.

            “How about we go get some ice cream?” Cas suggested as a last resort. Emma seemed to consider it for a moment before she nodded.

                                           --------------------------------------------

            When Dean had heard Emma cry for the first time, he knew that he never wanted to hear it again. His heart broke at the sad sound of her wails, and he immediately felt responsible. He should never have started the whole thing with Cas in the bathroom; he should have been at her side protecting her.

            They all had walked down to the Ice Shack a few blocks down, Cas and Dean each holding one of Emma’s hands. The walk was silent for the most part, except for the sound of cars as they drove by. Dean had caught Cas giving him a sympathetic look a few times, but he chose to pretend he didn’t see it. This wasn’t about him; this was about Emma. Knowing cas though, the man knew that Dean felt responsible for the whole thing. Cas was special in that way; he always knew what Dean was thinking.

            Dean held open the glass door for the two of them and shut behind himself. The Ice Shack was tiny but they had some of the best ice cream he’d ever eaten. Him and Cas had gone on their third date here; Dean smiled at the memory.

            “See anything you like?” Dean asked Emma. He wasn’t surprised when she shrugged her shoulders and put her thumb in her mouth. “What about you, Cas?” Dean asked. Cas surveyed the menu that hung above the counter for a few moments before nodding.

            “I think I’ll get the honey vanilla one.” Dean smiled, already knowing that was the one he’d choose.

Cas had a thing about honey; well actually, he had a thing about bees. Back when Dean had met him he had asked him about the giant flower vase in front of Cas’ apartment door. “It’s for the bee’s” Cas had replied and Dean had been thoroughly confused. Obviously he knew that bees liked flowers, but he didn’t understand why Cas _liked_ having bees near his front door. As far as Dean knew, they were just there to sting you and collect pollen. What the hell is so special about them? Dean had asked Cas a few months ago, hoping for him to give and answer for this weird little quirk of his.

“They’re just so fascinating to watch…at first glance, they seem so insignificant; each one nothing more than an insect aimlessly flying around with no purpose. But as you continue watching them, you come to realize that each one has a job; each one has to do their part to keep the hive going. And as for the stinging, they only do it to protect themselves and their hive. Once one of them stings you, it slowly begins to die. It’s the ultimate sacrifice to protect their family.” Dean had never looked at a bee the same way since.

“Does chocolate sound good to you?” Dean asked Emma. She nodded and Dean let go of her hand to walk to the register. A small, thin man came out from behind the back doors and adjusted his apron.

“You ready to order?” He asked, looking up at Dean. Dean blinked a few times, sure he was seeing things.

“Kevin?” Dean asked. The man’s eyes widened and he took a few steps back.

“Y-you…listen man, you got the wrong guy. I don’t do that shit anymore so tell Crowley to leave me alone…” Kevin said with shaky breaths.

“Hey relax Kevin. I’m here with my family.” Dean reassured him as he gestured over to Cas and Emma who were now seated at a table near the window. Kevin glanced behind Dean momentarily and his shoulders seemed to ease up.

“You’re uh…you’re not working for Crowley anymore?” Kevin asked, somewhat skeptically.

“God no. That sack of shit is in prison now.” Dean said. Kevin looked surprised and also relieved as he smiled lightly.

“Serves him right…bastard.” Kevin shook his head and sighed.

“So you quit?” Dean asked. Kevin nodded and shrugged nonchalantly.

“Thanks to you.” He replied honestly. Dean couldn’t help but smile at what he was seeing. The last time he had seen Kevin, he had dark bags under his eyes and his cheeks were sunken in. His body was abnormally skinny and he was dirty beyond belief. Now, he appeared to be a healthy, normal guy.

“I’m proud of you, man. Honestly. You look good.” Dean smiled.

“What about you?” Kevin asked, his smile faltering.

“What _about_ me?” Dean asked. Kevin looked awkwardly down at the ground and shrugged.

“Did you quit?” He asked. Dean glanced back over at Cas and Emma, watching as Cas read her the menu. She seemed to be entranced by his words as she stared up at him with a smile. Dean nodded before turning back towards Kevin.

“Yeah, I quit. Haven’t used in almost a year, actually. Now I have a family…things really turned out for the better. What about you?”

“Oh, I don’t have a girlfriend or anything.” Kevin stated sadly.

“Well, I’m sure something good has happened to you since you quit.”

“I reconnected with my mom.” Kevin smiled. “And uh, I got accepted into Harvard.” He said somewhat bashfully.

“Harvard? Are you shitting me? That’s great, Kev! I guess some congrats are in order, huh?” Dean smiled as he patted him on the shoulder.

“Thanks…for everything, I mean.” Kevin said as he looked into Dean’s eyes.

“Nah, don’t thank me. You did al the work, man. That’s all on you.” Dean said.

“No, it wasn’t. You saved my life. If you had never of talked some sense into me, who knows where I’d be right now. So, again; thanks.”

They had talked for a few brief minutes before Dean remembered that he was there to order. After giving him all three of their orders and making his way to their table, he couldn’t hep but smile.

“Did you know that man?” Cas asked as he watched him sit down.

“He’s uh…he’s an old friend.” Dean said. Cas seemed to understand and smiled at him before handing Emma her chocolate ice cream cone and a napkin. Dean grabbed Cas’ hand and winked at him when Cas looked questioningly up towards him. They all ate their ice cream, Dean and Cas telling Emma stories of when they were growing up. Dean had informed her that they’d have to go back to work soon but someone very nice would be there to watch her while they were gone. Gilda’s salon had unfortunately closed so she was moping around the house and driving Charlie insane. When Dean had told her about Emma and how they were looking for a babysitter, Charlie had immediately recommended her, and Gilda had agreed.

As they all finished up their ice cream and made their way to the door, Dean turned back to wave at Kevin.

“You take care of yourself, alright?” Dean called out. Kevin nodded and waved back to him.

“I will.” Kevin smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't hep myself with the destiel smut, okay? Hope you guys enjoyed it though ;) I felt like it was time to get things more heated between the two of them. I'm really enjoying writing this so I think it'll continue going for a while. Let me know what you guys think, any feedback is amazing. I'm really swamped with my new job and finals coming up but I'll try to make sure I update next Saturday as promised. Thanks for reading!


	5. Fluff and Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas fall more in love with their little girl, and shed tears together. Sam and Jess come to visit and instantly fall in love with Emma. (I suck at summaries im so sorry)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: Fluff

            “Jesus it’s fucking cold out there!” Cas heard Dean say as he shut the door behind him.

            “Language.” Cas said knowing Dean knew what he meant. Dean gave him an apologetic look and kissed him on the cheek before taking off his coat, covered in snow. Cas watched as Dean bent down to give Emma a kiss on her head before sitting next to her and picking up one of her crayons.

            “How was work?” Cas asked as he took a sip of tea from his Santa mug. Gabriel had gotten it for him last Christmas and Cas loved it. Dean shrugged his shoulders as he started coloring one of the pages Emma had laid out on the coffee table.

            “It was alright. I mean, as good as work gets. Some dude came in with a major fender bender on his Cadillac though…poor car. Fixed it right up though, as always.” Dean smiled. Cas rolled his eyes in adoration and looked back down to the magazine he was reading.

            “How’d Gilda do with Emma?” Dean asked.

            “Well, I asked Emma if she liked her and I received a nod so, I’ll assume she was pretty good.” Cas chuckled.

            “Cool. Did you have fun with Gilda, Em?” Dean asked her. Emma nodded and held up a drawing of her holding, what Cas assumed was Gilda, holding hands.

            “That’s very good, Emma. Do you want me to hang it on the fridge with the others?” Cas asked. Emma nodded and handed him the paper, a giant smile on her face.

            “A regular Van Gough.” Dean complimented her. Of course she didn’t get it but, she smiled back anyway.

            Cas surveyed all the drawings they had taped to the fridge since they had Emma with a warm smile. He taped on the newest addition towards the right side and grabbed the kettle to pour more tea.

            “Hey babe.” Dean said as he kissed the back of his neck.

            “Hello De. Want some tea?” Cas offered as he turned around. Dean shook his head and gave Cas an anxious look. “What?” Cas asked, interest piqued.

            “Well, you know how we wanted to move sometime in the spring?” Dean asked. Cas felt his heart begin to race, the thought of moving out earlier thrilling him.

            “Yes…” Cas replied as he tried to hide his smile.

            “Well Bobby gave me a Christmas bonus…a _big_ Christmas bonus…and with what we have, plus the money I made this month, we can move out now. If you want to, of course.” Dean quickly added on. Cas immediately threw his arms around Dean and planted a quick, yet passionate kiss on his soft lips.

            “Oh Dean…Emma can finally have her own room…and a backyard to play in! We could get a pool in the summer!” Cas laughed happily. Dean smiled and nodded in agreement.

            “I can’t believe I’m going to live in a house…like a real, house.” Dean smiled. Cas saddened slightly at the statement but decided not to comment on it. Dean didn’t like to talk about his feelings, and Cas had learned that sometimes it was just better to let him bring up stuff on his own.

            “Hey, Em! Come here sweetie!” Dean called out. A few moments later Emma padded into the kitchen, her bear dragging on the tile behind her.

            “Emma, how would you like to have your own room?” Cas asked with a smile as he crouched down in front of her. Emma seemed confused but gave a small smile in return. “Well, in a week or two, we’re going to move out of this tiny apartment into a big house. How would you like that?” Cas asked. Emma’s eyes seemed to light up as she nodded frantically. Cas looked up at Dean and smiled, receiving a knowing wink from Dean. Cas’ mood was shifted when he heard sniffling and turned to see Emma on the verge of tears.

            “Hey what’s wrong, Em?” Dean asked worriedly as he crouched in front of her beside Cas. Emma didn’t answer of course, but something in her eyes answered for her. Cas knew that she was probably crying because not only were they moving but, they were taking her with them. So many times she had been abandoned and left behind…Cas felt his heart break and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She didn’t cry like he thought she would but, he could still hear her sniffling lightly.

            Dean appeared to get the same message as his eyes filled with tears and he joined his arms over Cas’.

                                         ----------------------------------------------------------

            “Sammy! Took you long enough, bitch.” Dean joked as he opened the door for Sam and Jess. Sam rolled his eyes and lightly elbowed his chest.

            “Jerk.”

            “And look who it is…Nurse Jess herself.” Dean smiled warmly. Jess smiled back and gave him a hug.

            “How are you, Dean?” Jess asked.

            “Never better. How about you? Have you and Sam uh…you know…”tied the knot”?” Dean asked as he raised on his eyebrows suggestively.

            “Dean!” Sam yelled from behind embarrassedly. Dean smirked and led Jess and Sam into the kitchen.

            “Hey Cas, Em, Sam and Jess are here!” Dean called out. “So, what’s been going on man?” Dean asked as he sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, Sam and Jess following suit.

            “Well, I’m almost done with my Masters. One year left and I’ll officially be a lawyer.” Sam smiled proudly. Dean patted him on the back and laughed happily.

            “Shit, you only have a year left? Damn I’m old…well if I ever get in trouble with the law, I’ll know who to call.” Dean joked. Sam laughed and nodded knowingly.

            “Hello everyone.” Cas said as he entered the kitchen. Emma held his hand and stood behind him slightly, her thumb in her mouth nervously.

            “Aww…she’s such a cutie!” Jess cooed. Sam turned in his chair so he could face her and outstretched his hand.

            “Hi Emma. I’m your Uncle Sam.” He smiled warmly. She gave Dean a worried glance and he nodded to her, letting her know it was okay. She gripped Sam’s hand briefly and then put her thumb back in her mouth.

            “And I’m Jess. Nice to meet you sweetheart.” Jess smiled. Emma nodded at her and sat in cas’ lap as soon as Cas had sat down.

            “So…she’s not much of a talker, huh?” Sam asked lightly. Dean shrugged and ruffled her soft, blonde hair.

            “Nah…but we love her just the same. Way more mellow than _someone_ I knew as a kid…” Dean muttered jokingly.

            “Dude, I was _not_ that bad! And last time I spoke with Bobby, he said that you were the one who was having all the tantrums.” Sam retorted back.

            “Sure…well, you turned out pretty good  I guess.” Dean smiled.

            “We both did.” Sam replied, his voice heavy with sincerity. Dean almost felt himself tear up at the sentiment, but cleared his throat and adjusted his position in his chair instead.

            “No chick flick moments, Sammy.” Dean grunted. Sam chuckled and nodded.

            “Right, right.”

            “So, has Dean told you the big news?” Cas asked.

            “No…what big news?” Sam asked. Jess’ interest was also peaked as she leaned forward on the table, smiling.

            “Dean and I are going to buy a house. We’ve already called the realtor and we should be able to move in on the 20th.” Cas smiled. Sam and Jess both gasped and gave Cas and Dean cheerful looks.

            “No way! Oh my god, this is huge! First Emma, now a house? Aww Dean…” Jess teared up.

            “What?” Dean questioned. Jess shook her head and wiped her eyes.

            “It’s just…I’ve seen you at your lowest. And I know that you haven’t had it easy…I’m just…I’m really happy for you; for you both.” She smiled. Dean got up and hugged her graciously, touched by her words. She was right though…not even a year ago Dean had been on his death bed; drowning in drugs and debt, life constantly on the line because of Crowley and his addiction. But now, he had a family; a loving, amazing husband and an adorable daughter. And now they were going to get a house; almost like sweetening the package.

            Sam and Jess stayed for a few hours; Dean had made his famous burgers and everyone watched as Emma played with Anna in the living room. Dean knew that Sam and Jess had fallen in love with Emma the moment they saw her, and he was glad. He wasn’t sure why he felt nervous about their introduction in the first place.

            After some laughs and watching A Christmas Story, Sam and Jess decided it was time to get back to Mary to make sure she hadn’t gotten into the trash. Dean had promised that they’d get together on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, pets and all, at their new house. Emma was going to be 4 on the 24th and Dean and Cas were going to make sure she’d have the best birthday ever.

            After saying goodbye to Sammy and Jess, Cas and Dean wrangled Emma into the bath and shampooed her ever-growing hair. Every day it seemed to get longer and longer; they’d asked Emma if she wanted a haircut, her answer nothing more than a shrug. Cas helped her put on her Eeyore pajama’s with her matching slippers, while Dean got her bed ready. They both tucked her in and kissed her forehead, wishing her sweet dreams.

            Dean curled into Cas’ back, letting his lips linger on the man’s neck lovingly. It was the 15th, so Christmas was only 10 days away. They still had to pack up their stuff, move into the new house, get a tree, and buy birthday/Christmas presents for Emma and the family. It would be a crazy few days, filled with stress and soreness but, Dean didn’t mind. So long as he had Cas and Emma, he didn’t mind at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had to write this at midnight cause my hours at work are ridiculous and I finally finished my finals (thank god that's over with) so excuse the lack of plot in this chapter. Its mostly just family-fluff because I'm weak and also I had very little time to write this. Next week's chapter will be Christmas themed (of course) and I wish you all an early "Happy Holidays" (in case you don't celebrate Christmas). Hope you all enjoyed this short fluffy chapter!
> 
>  
> 
> Tumblr: candidlycas

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of you guys wanted this so...ta-dah! I Should be able to post every Saturday (it may change depending on my schedule but I WILL let you guys know ahead of time). Hope you guys like it :)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr for updates and a follow back :) -----------> candidlycas.tumblr.com


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